Rory's Knight in Leather
by WizMonCruWil
Summary: I am not exactly Team Jess, based on the new reality of he and Rory being technically now family. I resisted writing this for a while. At the same time, I began to understand the soulmate kinship between Rory and Jess, and his ability to push her to be her best when no one else could. So, I decided to run with the idea pestering me inside of my head. Please, enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: The First Three Chapters

**Chapter 1: The First Three Chapters**

Jess Mariano shrugged on his leather jacket as he said goodbye to his Uncle Luke. "Be back at 10?" he checked to confirm. Just then, the door opened.

"Jess!" a sweet voice called, and Rory Gilmore emerged from the front door of 37 Maple, a red sweater clinging loosely to her thin frame, and a manuscript clutched in her hands. "Jess, look: the first three chapters!" Rory let out an excited squeal as she jumped up and down, playing with the edges of Jess's jacket, before slipping past her almost-stepfather and back into the house. Luke watched her go with an amused smile. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, just a thing between us," Jess shrugged as he prepared to shoulder his duffel.

"Between you?" Luke picked up on immediately.

"A _work_ thing between us," Jess quickly amended. He meant, of course, the idea that he had given Rory to write a book about her and her mom, which she had now taken up.

"Work thing, huh? So, then... you're over that, right?" Luke prodded, both cautious and yet prepared to take bold measures should the wrong answer be given.

"Yup. Long over." Jess assured him.

"OK. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can't wait to see if you're gonna wear that pocket square or not," Jess jokingly jabbed as his uncle left the porch. Luke's wedding to Lorelai Gilmore would be the next day.

Shouldering his bag, Jess walked around the porch and peered through the window to the living room. Inside, Rory was placing what looked like a pink cloth on Luke's forehead, to calm him ahead of the big day. Jess's gaze turned sad, wistful. Even in baggy clothing like that sweater, Rory still looked as beautiful as he remembered. He had to convince himself that what he had told his uncle was still somewhat of a lie - he still did love Rory. He recalled their conversation from the previous night, talking into the wee hours of the morning about her book (When Rory had decided to take the plunge, Jess had immediately volunteered to write the novel's Foreword), and just reminiscing. If only he had stared here, in Stars Hollow, and not embarked on a career as an author himself. If only she had not gone back to Yale, and then traipsed off to London and New Hampshire and God knows where else. Would things have been different between them? Jess had regrets, plenty of them - but he could never say he regretted the chance to be with Rory last night. Sighing, he turned away.


	2. Chapter 2: Mom, I'm Pregnant

**Chapter 2: Mom, I'm Pregnant**

"Who flash mobs to Steely Dance?" Rory gawked.

"Luke," Lorelai giggled almost wistfully.

"Luke," her daughter echoed.

"It's fine. I texted Patty and she said she's gonna switch it to Karma Chameleon."

"Without telling him?" Rory finished the thought.

"Yeah..."

"Oooh, man, that's gonna be good. Aren't you curious what a Steely Dance flash mob would look like?"

"No."

"Me either," Rory agreed. A brief lapse into silence, and then: "Well, how does it feel?"

"It feels... right," Lorelai finally concluded, fishing in the air before coming upon the perfect description. She and Luke had actually married the night before their ceremony, neither of them wanting to wait any longer.

"Yeah?"

"It's such a long time getting here. Sometimes, it's just a journey, you know?"

"I guess so." Another silence.

"I think I'm going to be very good at this..." Lorelai finally mused.

"At being married?" Rory wondered, as her mother reached to pour herself another glass of Chardonnay.

"No, at finishing off this bottle," Lorelai deadpanned.

"Oh, no doubt in my mind," Rory laughed.

"Hey, so now that I'm a married lady, maybe you should be one too! You are _of age_ , and we can do married lady things together!" Lorelai fantasized even as Rory gawked in mock offense.

"What are married lady things?"

"I don't know," Lorelai bantered back, as she had only just become one herself for... technically the second time in her life? The first had been so brief though, so crazy and impulsive. "Like, uh... dying our hair blue, or... buying pork chops. Bowling...?"

"I don't know... I thought I'd be the special daughter who stays home forever and looks after Mama," Rory floated.

"No, I have Kirk for that," Lorelai cracked. "Let's see... who can we marry you off to...? Oh, I know! Did that nice PeeWee Herman ever find himself a lady?"

"I'm thinking _No_ is a pretty safe bet," Rory hid a smile.

"You wanted to marry him when you were little, remember?"

"I also wanted to marry Edward Scissorhands and Jerry Orbach from _Law & Order_."

"Your tastes ran the gamut," Lorelai conceded.

A phone suddenly beeped, and Rory picked it up. "Rory, due to our conflicting schedules, I think we should break up. Take care. Paul." She dropped the phone into her lap, finally free of him but still mad at herself. "I can't _believe_ how I treated him. I suck!"

"No, you don't. It didn't... fit," Lorelai assured her. "It needs to fit, believe me. He'll find someone amazing one day."

"Yeah."

"And so will you." Lorelai stroked Rory's leg lovingly. No response. Rory seemed to be on the verge of crying; indeed, she was blinking back tears. Lorelai shook her leg. "Hey. What's going on in there?" desperate to learn her daughter's thoughts.

"I wanna remember it all. Every detail." Rory finally expressed, looking out beyond the gazebo. Lorelai followed her gaze, smiling in understanding as they observed the quiet fall evening. The silence was finally broken by Rory's prodding:

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

Rory turned to her, her voice cracking on emotion. "I'm pregnant."

Lorelai could only meet her gaze, her mouth open in shock.


	3. Chapter 3: Don't Make Me Choose

**Chapter 3: Don't Make Me Choose**

His duties for the wedding complete, Jess was now in New Haven, attending an autograph signing for his book. His latest work was selling at a higher and faster pace than his debut novel _The Subsect_ , and Dave Eggers had even offered to begin talks for writing a sequel!

Just as Jess was finishing his signatures for adoring fans, his cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"You need to come home right now." The steel in Luke's voice left zero room for argument. Concerned, Jess gathered his things, waved to his publicist, and began a light jog out of the bookshop.

"What's wrong?"

"Your step-cousin just informed me that she is pregnant," Luke said with a tight neutrality.

"Rory's _pregnant_?!" Jess yelped. "How? By whom?"

"That's the thing, Jess: she couldn't tell me," Luke responded. "Get your ass back to Stars Hollow. I want answers, and I want them now!"

Jess jumped into his car. "I'm on my way."

* * *

That evening, uncle and nephew stood in the Gilmore kitchen. Jess tried to face down Luke, even though he knew he was failing miserably.

"This isn't exactly how I thought I'd be spending my honeymoon," Luke ranted self-evidently. "I am going to ask you one question and one question only: is there anything you need to tell me?" It was a loaded question indeed, combining all the inquiries Jess knew were on his uncle's mind.

"No," Jess replied, trying not to flinch.

Luke raised an eyebrow and stared at him hard. "Nothing at all?"

"Nothing."

"All right, Jess. You've made your decision. But if that parenting test comes back and I found out you _lied_ to me... I am going to have to make a difficult choice."

Jess frowned, his eyes hard. "Let me guess: between your nephew and your stepdaughter, you would choose her."

"You're _damn fucking straight_ I would choose her," Luke hissed. "And it would be agony to take sides with my family. Don't make me choose, Jess. Don't make me choose."

* * *

Jess wisely chose to take the apartment above the diner that night. Luke had yet to clear it out, and a part of him wondered if he shouldn't just keep it furnished, perhaps glean some rent out of it.

Shaking his head to clear it, Luke turned back to his stepdaughter's sleeping form. He gently stroked her hair, then ran a finger down her cheek, from where he sat on the edge of her bed. Dear God, it was almost crippling, how much he loved her! Ever since Rory was a little girl, he had loved her as if she was his own child. Sometimes, Luke wished that he had been the one to help make her with Lorelai, to create such a beautiful symbol of intelligence and humor and grace and beauty. But even if she was not his daughter by blood, she was his daughter in every other measure. Rory's successes, Luke felt, were partially his successes. Her pain was his pain. And if she suffered failure, he usually blamed himself. Was her getting pregnant the result of his failure as a parent? Had he not been careful enough in protecting her from boys, on making sure she had a proper sexual education? Certainly Christopher, Rory's biological dad, would not have taken such pre-emptive measures, for he had willingly fallen prey to the exact same dangers. Then again, it was his carelessness that had created Rory, so Luke was unsure whether to punch the bastard or thank him on bended knee for not using a condom in that instance. He would not let this pregnancy break his daughter. He would not let this baby tear apart the family he had always considered to be his, and had finally made his at last with his marriage. And if he ever found the punk who did this to Rory... Luke would hurt him. The gruff diner man was certain of that.

The tears were pouring down his cheeks now and he turned his head to avoid them falling on Rory's upturned face. Rarely did Luke ever cry like this, and if Rory saw she would affectionately call him a softie and he would never hear the end of it. Wiping the tears away almost angrily, he kissed Rory's forehead, brushing her hair back out of her face. He was overcome with love. "I love you, princess. Good night." He then spoke to The Bump. Well, it wasn't a bump yet, or even much of anything. But he still knew a baby - his grandchild - lay within. "Good night, whatever-your-name-will-be." He tickled a finger across Rory's abdomen. His daughter stirred, but did not wake. Luke stood and crossed to the door, pausing in the entryway. Giving Rory one last tender look, he turned out the light and closed the door.

* * *

 **A/N: "Oh Father, please don't make me choose. Either way, it's more than I can bear to lose..." ~ Stephen Schwartz, _Children of Eden_. All right, so who's the father, anyway? Is it Logan... or Jess? Here's the thing: I don't know! So, I am leaving it up to YOU (yes, you!), my readers, to decide. Whether you are Team Logan or Team Jess, place a REVIEW on this fic stating who you would like the father of Rory's baby to be! The man who gets the most reviews by 11:59 PM tomorrow (April 26th) wins, and I will finish the rest of the story according to your wishes. Let's get that betting war going! And... GO!**


	4. Chapter 4: Hollow of the Apes

**Chapter 4: Hollow of the Apes**

It was the day of Rory's first doctor's appointment since learning of her pregnancy. Luke and Lorelai willingly went with her; Jess was conscripted into going.

As the DNA results were obtained and then sent for analysis, Jess waited very nervously. Should he be nervous? He had done nothing wrong….. had he?

At last the doctor returned. He addressed Jess. "Mr. Mariano, our testing shows that you are the baby's father. Congratulations."

Jess about fell out of his chair. No….. no…..

It had happened once. It had been hasty and hazy, but he knew it did happen.

One evening in late summer, Luke and Lorelai had gone out for the evening. Jess had visited Rory at home to keep her company. Further discussion had been put towards Rory's potential book, but conversation had soon turned to Rory's financial concerns. As he had that day in the _Stars Hollow Gazette_ offices, Jess had offered to lend her the money. Overwhelmed, Rory had impulsively kissed him. One thing had led to another, eventually leading to the pair having sex on Lorelai's couch. All had been cleaned up by the time Rory's mom and Jess's uncle returned.

Oh, and then there was that moment a few weeks ago in the Gilmore kitchen. Rory's decision to write the book had led to sharing drinks to celebrate. Inhibitions went down like ninepins, leading to another round on the kitchen counter.

Either of these two encounters had now resulted in a conception.

The doctor left the family alone to discuss things. The Gilmores and Jess exited to the lobby. Jess shakily turned to find his uncle giving him a look of pure stone. He was going to die. He was going to die at his uncle's hands.

"I just want you to know that even though you lied to me, revenge is not an idea we promote in my house." Luke told Jess.

Jess sighed with relief. Maybe he would get out of being murdered after all. "Oh. Oh, that's good."

"But we're not in my house….. are we?" Luke hissed, getting right into Jess's face.

"No….."

Luke suddenly let out a purely animal growl and lunged for his nephew. The two men tumbled out of the lobby and into the parking lot. In the struggle, Jess was launched headfirst into the side of Lorelai's Jeep Wrangler. Amazingly, he was only dazed. Jess staggered to his feet, now _mad_.

"OK! COME ON! YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?!" Jess came at Luke, but the elder man slugged him with a good punch to the face. The young Mariano probably should have known better than to pick a fight. Once upon a time, Luke had kicked the living shit out of Christopher, in a duel over Lorelai many Christmases ago. Regardless, Jess recovered quickly and tackled his uncle to the pavement, wailing on him again and again.

Although there was probably not anything more entertaining than watching an uncle and nephew try to kill each other, the fact remained that…. there was still an uncle and nephew trying to kill each other. So thinking, Lorelai and Rory rushed out of the hospital screaming, trying to pull the men apart.

"Luke! Stop it!"

"Jess! Don't!"

But someone else broke off the fight. A third pair of hands suddenly managed to wrench Jess off of Luke….. only to then send a giant punch into the former's stomach.

"THAT'S FOR KNOCKING UP MY DAUGHTER, YOU PUNK!"

Rory stared. "Daddy?"

Christopher had joined the fray, having been invited by Lorelai as a kind of peace offering. Or at least, what had been expected to be a peace offering. This, however, was anything but peaceful.

Jess looked between Rory's two father figures. He was trapped like a rat. Should he try to run? He made a break for it. Flight won out over fight. But neither Christopher nor Luke were having it.

"Box him out; box him out!" Christopher called, as if he was a coach at a basketball game. Working together, the former rivals managed to corner Jess against Luke's truck. Jess was about to give his last words when he was inevitably prompted, when Rory suddenly jumped between all three.

"STOP! No more!"

"Rory…." Christopher tried to placate.

"Don't 'Rory' me! Daddy….. you're drunk." Christopher blinked, wondering how his daughter could have figured that out. "Go home. Go home to Gigi."

All of a sudden, a fourth figure broke the stalemate, diving for Jess and knocking him against the truck. It was _Logan_ , whom Rory had called for on the possibility that he was the father. The Huntzberger heir had overheard everything.

"YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH! CHEATING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"Hey!" Luke now worked to pull the younger males apart.

"ENOUGH!" Everyone froze. Lorelai was standing in the empty parking lot, her eyes blazing with rage. She began pointing at each man in turn, barking out orders. "Logan: go home! Christopher: _you_ go home! This doesn't concern either of you! Luke: one more punch, and we are getting a divorce! Jess…" All she could do was shake her head in disappointment.

Exhausted, everyone went home and their separate ways.

* * *

 **A/N: I did not really want to wait until all the reviews came in by 11:59. So, I made my decisions based on the ones so far. Hope you all like it!**


	5. Chapter 5: Rediscovering You

**Chapter 5: Rediscovering You**

It was a tense and sleepless night that first evening. Jess stayed at the Gilmore residence this time, though he felt he had no right to be there. Lorelai was not exactly her welcoming self anymore, and Luke still looked like he wanted to kill him. Rory lay on her bed, trying not to cry. Her mother's humor was remarkably prescient: it turns out Jose Cuervo _did_ have magical powers. And destructive powers, too.

The next few days were spent with Jess and Rory awkwardly discussing how to prepare for this baby, and how to move forward as a couple. They agreed to stay together, for the child's sake, and besides, Rory was still working on her book. Jess offered to help however he could on both counts.

One evening, Luke was working late at the diner, and Lorelai was staying overnight at the Dragonfly Inn to prepare for a conference there the next day. Rory was taking a shower at home on Maple Street. As she finished up and pulled back the curtain to reach for a towel, Jess suddenly entered in only his boxers and with toothbrush in hand.

Rory screamed and moved to cover herself. Jess averted his eyes.

"I'm sorry; I'm sorry! I forgot you were in here!" he apologized.

Rory relaxed slightly. She draped the towel over herself. "It's OK," she murmured quietly. "It's not your fault."

"But it is. All of it is," Jess countered, gesturing between them.

"It takes two to tango, Jess. I have as much blame." And with that, Rory began to cry. She cried tears of anguish and fear. Of helplessness. Watching her, Jess's heart broke. He had always hated to see her in any pain.

"Come here." He approached the edge of the tub and took her in his arms, despite her only being in a towel. Rory rested her head on his chest, her sobs soon turning to sniffles. Touched by his tenderness, she turned her face up to his and kissed his lips briefly, before pulling back.

Eyes met and communicated without any words. Jess returned the kiss and quickly escalated its passion. Rory draped her arms around his neck, allowing the towel to fall away. Kicking it out of the wet tub, she waited as Jess made quick work of his boxer shorts and stepped into the shower with her. He pulled the curtain back, and within another moment, the water was back on. Steam and the smell of sex filled the bathroom…..

* * *

A short time later, Rory and Jess were conducting a follow-up round of lovemaking in her bed. Jess rested his chin on her stomach, pausing in where he had feasted on Rory's intimacy until she had cum again and again.

"I love you," he spoke soothingly. "I always have."

From up against the pillows, Rory stared at him in abject adoration, as if she was beholding a demigod. "I know."

"Will you marry me?"

Rory gasped, her eyes shining even as they filled with tears. "Yes."

Both burst out laughing, euphoric, as Jess took off his high school class ring and slipped it onto Rory's finger. It would have to do for now. Rory kissed him sweetly, before suddenly pulling back in fear. "What if Luke finds out….?"

"Let him. He could give two shits about me, and it might be a very long time before I earn his trust back. But if he loves you as much as I know he does, he'll accept this."

Rory smiled impishly. "I guess I could act as your human shield," she mused.

The couple kissed chastely. Jess then planted a kiss on Rory's baby bump, communicating his love for their child.

* * *

Luke did have a mixed reaction to the news of Rory and Jess's engagement. But he accepted it, for his stepdaughter's sake, just as Jess predicted.

The ceremony was kept quiet, however. Small and intimate, with no fuss. Only close friends in the town came – Patty, Babette, Taylor, Kirk. Paris agreed to be the Matron of Honor. Christopher was not informed. As much as this pained Lorelai, perhaps it was for the best. Luke stood in beautifully, walking Rory down the aisle. He was a second father to her, after all. And at the end of the wedding, he and Jess actually shook hands – a first but promising step towards eventual peace.

* * *

Seven months later, a healthy baby boy was born. Rory named him Richard, in memory of her late grandfather. Richard Lucas Mariano.


	6. Chapter 6: Come Home

**Chapter 6: Come Home**

For the time being, Rory, Jess and the baby lived with Luke and Lorelai at Number 37, Maple Street. Jess had to leave for intermittent periods of time to promote his books and writings. At these times, Rory would care for her son, pausing only to take a shift at Luke's Diner during the lunch rush. At night, she would work on her memoir.

So, it was one evening as Rory rocked little Richard's cradle and sang him a lullaby:

 _"_ _You are sunlight and I moon / Joined by the gods of fortune / Midnight and high noon sharing the sky / We have been blessed, you and I…."_

Unbeknownst to her, Luke stood just outside the slightly ajar room, watching and listening and smiling. These were the moments he lived for, watching his daughter and grandson thrive and shine. His family. As Rory finished the tune, Luke stole away and downstairs. Rory kissed Richard good night and slipped into the hallway. Just then, her cell phone rang.

"Hi, honey."

"He's asleep?" Jess guessed.

"Mm-hmm. Just put him down. Where are you?"

"Santa Cruz. This is my last speaking tour though, baby, and then it's right back to Stars Hollow. I promise."

"All right. Just come home as soon as you can. Come home. We miss you. I love you."

"And I, you, every day and every hour. Good night, princess."


	7. Chapter 7: The End

**Chapter 7: The End**

"…. And then, Luke and the Rebels lived happily ever after. The End," Rory concluded. She had not expected her four-year-old to want _Star Wars_ as a bedtime story, but she did her best to make it work.

"Mama?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Grandpa Luke is also named Luke. Does that make Grandpa Luke a Jedi?"

Rory laughed. "No, honey. Grandpa's too grumpy to be a Jedi."

Richard giggled before flopping back onto the pillows. "Good night, Mommy."

"All right, Munchkin. Good night." Rory kissed her son's forehead, after which she slipped out the door and turned off the light.

Downstairs, in a section of the sitting room that had been converted into an office space, Jess sat at his desk, focusing on his laptop. He sensed Rory's presence without even having to turn his head. "What story was it tonight?"

Rory smiled and kissed her husband's temple. "Ours."

"You flatter me. I could hear you trying and failing to do the Darth Vader voice."

Rory laughed. "Richy's become quite the fanatic. Besides, he can always read my book if he wants to learn more about his Mommy." _Gilmore Girls_ , Rory's memoir about her life with her mother, had finally been completed and published the previous year. As promised, Jess wrote the Foreword as an assist to help his wife get her name out in the literary world. Rory's work had quickly climbed to the top of the Bestseller's List, raking in enough revenue to allow the youngest Gilmore and her family to move out of Maple Street and to a house of their own. As of right now, a producer had approached the budding writer with possibilities of converting the memoir into a TV show… Talks had yet to begin, and were expected to be ongoing.

For his part, Jess had published a modestly successful sequel to _The Subsect_ , and a film adaptation of the first book had just started production; it had a release date for the following summer.

Neither Jess nor Rory had expected to become famous writers, though it had been a dream of theirs. And they certainly had not expected to end up together and married, with a child between them. But on the whole, life had turned out for the best – for everyone involved.


End file.
